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I don't think that the big money ship has sailed for VAG considering that if anything Porsche are spending more than ever on the WEC with a LMP1 and factory GTE program. On the Audi end, even with dieselgate, they're still one of VAG's more profitable brands.
Not to mention that if Audi want to have a racing program based around hydrogen tech, it'll have to be in LMP1. F1 or DPI have no provisions for such things, also considering that outside of customer focused programs, Audi Sport have preferred to do development oriented programs. Like the entire life of their LMP program.
Audi have either done racing usually either for road relevance/production based racing, or R&D purposes. Only exceptions are DTM (German National Pride), and Formula E, which is in part to save face with dieselgate, and as a makework for a possible LMP1 return in my opinion.
Also, if Audi Sport support a DPI program, Audi of America will have to pay for it. And they're the ones who are most directly involved with the settlements over dieselgate, not to mention that they've been loathe to support a NA centric program over the years, which is what lead to Audi leaving the ALMS after '08.
Also notice that Audi have tended in recent times to leave a program or series as far as road racing about every 8 years, usually when they've exhausted a program as far as it's immediate usefulness? Audi left the ALMS after they achieved their goals with the R10. Also, Audi pretty much exhausted their TDI diesel tech as far as LMP went without a major re-think of their engine concept due to them running 8+MJ would've meant 2 ERS systems, something they couldn't do with the diesel engine as it was without risking an overweight car.
Only other solution was to run a gasoline engine which would've been redundant given what Porsche has been up to. Even if you ask the drivers, they were surprised about the when, not the if, of the conclusion of the Audi Sport LMP program for the foreseeable future.
DPI might be a make work for Joest and Audi Sport if someone pays for it, but just like Audi in F1, Audi leaving LMP, or Audi coming back to LMP, I'll believe it when I see it. However, given what the recent trends at Audi and Audi Sport have been, a LMP1 return in 2020 might be more likely than DPI, and especially F1.
For this, maybe the Audi Sport LMP1 thread needs resurrected.
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